


The Mysterious Case of the Vanishing Wizard

by Failing_Physics



Category: Howl no Ugoku Shiro | Howl's Moving Castle, Howl's Moving Castle - All Media Types
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, and sophie gets to be a hero bc thats my jam, but theres elements of the movie, more based on the book, so i watched howls moving castle again and was inspired so here you go, who needs to finish other WIPs when you can start a new one
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:22:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23602267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Failing_Physics/pseuds/Failing_Physics
Summary: And then, like a fool, Howl picked the orb up and just… vanished. His fingers brushed the glass and then he was gone. No puff of smoke, none of the usual theatrics - just silence and air.-----------Being a flamboyant wizard, Howl is prone to vanishing whenever he sees fit, until one day something goes wrong - he doesn't come back. So now it's up to Sophie to save him and with a stick in one hand and a fire demon in the other - what could go wrong?
Relationships: Sophie Hatter/Howl Pendragon
Comments: 29
Kudos: 63





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I had some much fun writing this so I hope you enjoy!

After a year of being married to a wizard, Sophie supposed that she should be used to the delights and terrors of flying by now. But even so, she gripped Howl’s fingers tightly as they strode far above the crowded marketplace, a breath of rain-kissed wind guiding their feet. Beside her, Howl huffed in amusement.

“I’m not going to drop you!”

If she could’ve moved her fingers, Sophie would’ve pinched his side, but as it was, her hands were preoccupied by gripping his. 

“I know, I know! But you _might_.”

Howl muttered something under his breath about the slander of his good name and abilities, but began the slow meandering down to the town street nonetheless. Sophie had half a mind to switch around his dyes when they returned home, but as the pair landed gently on the cobblestones, Howl grinning and bowing to a couple of gawking women, Sophie put all thoughts of hair sabotage out of her mind and gazed at the sheer beauty of the annual Kingsbury Fete.

Any artist and creator worth their salt made an appearance and result was spectacular; bejeweled stalls that rivaled even Howl’s flashiest coats jostled for space; brilliant ribbons and bunting floated above; the smells of spices, fresh bread and caramel weaved through the air; more magical items and trinkets laid out on tables that Sophie knew what to do with. And between all the shouting vendors, shrieking children darted about like overexcited birds and jovial adults ambled. 

Sophie’s grin deepened as she grabbed Howl’s hand and dragged him through the streets, pointing and laughing at curiosities, her delight so infections that soon Howl was grinning too. He stood by her dutifully as she brought gingerbread for Michael, some enchanted wood that the seller insisted smelled of sea air when burnt and then watched as Howl brought himself no less than three coats, and then a bouquet of roses which he presented to Sophie with a flourish and what sounded like a ‘damn I _am_ smooth’. 

They were mulling over a set of paintings for the castle, Howl dead set on one with a snarling lion and looking deeply offended when Sophie said no, when a small and decidedly rat-like man crashed into Howl with enough force to send him slamming into the painter’s table. 

Howl spun around so fast he almost tripped over his own feet, a curse already on his lips, but frowning deeply as he realised the man had simply vanished into the crowd like a wisp of mist. He huffed in annoyance, pushing back his hair.

“Some people - no manners.”

Sophie hooked an arm around his waist. “Well, at least he isn’t here now for you to turn him into a toad, darling.”

“A toad’s too good for him.”

“So dramatic.” 

Howl pressed his lips against her forehead and then stilled, staring at an object by her feet - a beautifully crafted glass orb filled with clouds of iridescent colour that shifted and changed almost faster than Sophie’s eyes could follow. 

“Oh! He must’ve dropped it,” She said, leaning down to pick it up, but before she could, Howl grabbed her wrist. 

“Wait,” his voice sharpened, “We don’t know what that is. It might be enchanted.”

He moved his hand over it rapidly, muttering a long and complex string of word under his breath and staring intensely. But the orb remained an orb. And then, like a fool, Howl picked it up and just… vanished. His fingers brushed the glass and then he was gone. No puff of smoke, none of the usual theatrics - just silence and air.

“Howl?” 

Nothing.

“Howl, come on, this isn’t funny.” 

Sophie spun, hoping she’d see the wizard waving to her from a few stalls over, but again - nothing. The painter behind the table gave her a strained smile.

“These magical folks miss - they’re no good.”

Sophie just looked at him, eyebrows raised, and moved away. Where on earth had he disappeared to?

“Howl,” she hissed, now feeling slightly foolish as she snapped at nothing but air, “Come back.”

He’d never left like that without an explanation before, and her anger swiftly faded as it was replaced by fear and worry, thick and heavy in the pit of her stomach.

“Howl!”

Sophie bit her lip. Howl had been the subject of several attempted kidnappings, either from resentful wizards or jilted lovers, but due to pure charm, cunning or magic, he’d successfully managed to slither out of many of the circumstances. Until now. If it was indeed a kidnapping - the alternative being he’d been flung to whatever corner of the planet and was now stranded. Sophie wasn’t sure which one she hoped it was. 

_Get a grip Sophie!_ Howl had undoubtedly been in far worse situations than this and fretting wouldn’t do anyone any good. So she sat down heavily on one of the nearby benches and waited for the lightness in her limbs and the feeling of her surroundings pressing in on her to fade, not daring to take her eyes off the spot where Howl had vanished. 

Five minutes, ten, twenty all passed in what felt like an eternity and the feeling of worry was beginning to edge into her thoughts as _still_ Howl had not reappeared. 

There was nothing else for it. Sophie stood sharply, nodded to herself once and set off at a brisk pace towards the Kingsbury door and the castle beyond, hauling bags of shopping with her. Sophie didn’t know what else she could do. She didn’t know what else there _was_ to do. Howl was either waiting in the castle or in serious trouble and she wasn’t going to wait around to see which it was. 

Her feet carried her faster and faster, that rain-kissed wind that she had flown in on a mere hour ago now pushing at her feet, urging her to _run._ And so she did until she was practically flying along, all thoughts being shoved out of her head, her surroundings just steaks of colour in her vision until Sophie all but slammed into the Kingsbury door.

Ignoring the states of passers by, she flung it open, racing into the snug interior, but - 

Nothing.

Calcifer slumbering in the hearth, sunlight streaming through the windows, and absolutely and definitely no Howl.

“Oh Howl,” she whispered, only slightly despairing, “Whenever will you _not_ get into this kind of trouble?”

At her voice, the dozing embers flared up, relieving the fire demon in all his three-pm nap glory. 

“Mmmmm… I was _sleeping…_ ”

Sophie glanced at him and Calcifer sank lower, still grumbling. 

“Calcifer, I need you to find Howl.”

“Well where did you last see him?” He cackled a little at his joke but Sophie remained decidedly unimpressed.

“Calcifer, I’m being serious.” 

At her tone Calcifer perked up in the fireplace.

“Oh no, what’s he done this time?”


	2. Chapter 2

“Oh no, what’s he done _this_ time?”

Sophie shook her head, still trying to untangle the mess of thoughts that was her mind. 

“He picked up something in the marketplace, some kind of orb - _which I_ told _him not to_ \- and he just… vanished.” Sophie finished, well aware of how unconvincing she sounded.

“And what did this orb look like?” Calcifer was now leaning as far out of the fireplace as he dared. 

“It was… made of clear glass and inside were little clouds of colour swirling around - Calcifer whatever you’ve just realised, you need to stop looking so shocked and _tell me_.” 

Indeed the fire demon had turned a ghostly blue and had sunk down into the grate, as if he was trying to avoid Sophie’s stare.

“Well,” he mumbled, when it became clear that Sophie wasn’t about to stop staring, “I don’t need to find him because that was a storm spirit and, well, there’s only one place where you can catch those. The Kearsby Heights.”

“And what’s in the Kearsby Heights?”

Calcifer winced slightly. “Sol Staghart. He’s this wizard who's been harboring this ridiculous theory that Howl knows the secret to immortal life - he’s had a grudge against Howl for _decades.”_

This time it was Sophie’s turn to blink. “ _Does_ he know the secret?”

“I wish. Howl has always maintained that it’s just a good skincare routine. But if Sol Staghart’s found a way to catch him and Howl’s not back by now - this is bad. This is really bad.”

Sophie had nothing to say to that and instead stood and strode to the broom closet, throwing it open with enough ferocity to make the windows tremble. 

“Sophie, what’re you doing?”

Sophie pulled out of the narrow space just long enough to say, “I’m going to get my husband back.” 

“Sophie no! Sol Staghart is insanely powerful! You can’t just go and waltz straight into his castle, he’ll catch you too!”

But Sophie wasn’t listening; with a ‘aha!’ of satisfaction and a cloud of dust, she yanked out the cane that had been so faithful when she was under the Witch’s curse. 

“Sophie!”

“Calcifer, where did Michael put those seven-league boots?”

“ _Sophie!”_

“Oh! He put them in the study, didn’t he!” 

“Michael!” Calcifer boomed, turning a deep ruby as he flared up the chimney, “Get up! Sophie’s doing something stupid!”

There was a series of crashes and finally the sound of a door being thrown open as Michael sped down the stairs, still rubbing sleep out of his eyes and looking thoroughly confused. 

“What? Calcifer? What’s going on?”

“Ask Sophie! She’s the one who’s insisting on a little stroll to _Sol Staghart’s castle._ ”

“ _What?_ Where’s Howl?”

Sophie glanced up. “Howl’s been taken by Sol - I’m getting him back.” She paused at the way Michael’s face turned several shades paler, “Are you coming?” 

“As soon as he realises Howl won't tell him anything, he’ll be gunning for the castle - I need to stay here to protect it.” 

“Calcifer can come with me then.”

Calcifer blinked. “Am I just being ignored here?” 

“Calcifer shouldn’t go,” Michael said, shaking his head, “Sol will be expecting either him or me to come and rescue Howl - he doesn’t know you. I hate to say it, but you’d be safer going on your own. Less suspicious that way.” Michael leapt down the remaining stairs, running to the desk where he hurriedly scribbled something down. Sophie peered over his shoulder at the symbol, before he pressed the ragged paper and a stick of chalk into her hands. 

“Standard unlocking spell. Draw that on and it should unlock pretty much anything.”

Sophie nodded, not given a chance to respond as Michael darted around at dizzying speed, shoving roots and powders and elixirs at her, talking so fast Sophie could barely keep up with all the properties and spells.

“Okay, so throw this power in someone’s face and they won’t be able to move for about a minute - oh! If you splash this on something non-living, it’ll melt right through. And this pendant will let you avoid people who try and magically locate you. And this-”

Sophie placed a hand on Michael’s shoulder as he rushed past again. “Michael. I’ll be _fine._ Sol Staghart can’t be worse than the Witch of the Waste and, well, we got through that didn’t we?”

Calcifer crackled a little as he peered out of the grate, “Come on Sophie, if Howl turns up and you’re gone, he’s going to go and rush back into danger for nothing!”

“If he was going to come back, he’d be here by now - I’m not taking that chance.”

By now she was already tugging on a shawl, one hand on the doorknob and the other clutching a pair of seven-league boots. Calcifer frowned, green now tinting his flames.

“ _Fine._ But if you’re not back within the hour then I’m coming to find you myself!”

“I promise I’ll be back.” 

At that, some of the unease melted from the fire demon’s expression, but he still remained thoroughly agitated, even as Sophie turned the door purple-down and stepped out into the flower fields. She hesitated for a moment as she tugged on the boots, wanting to drink in the heavenly sights and smells for as long as she could. But the peaceful moment was short lived as Sophie carefully positioned herself North, taking a breath. And then a step. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sophie reaches Sol Staghart's castle, only to realise that finding Howl might not be as easy as she thought

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this has taken me three months to update! I've been in a bit of a creative slump since quarantine, but I'll be sure to update the last chapter soon.   
> Thank you to everyone who's left a comment or kudos on this fic! I can't express enough how much they mean to me <3

_ Zip. _

In an instant Sophie found herself in a meadow full of gently swaying cattails. She frowned, taking another step.

_ Zip. _

A small herd of deer fled as she appeared in a dense woodland.

_ Zip. _

A pine forest.

_ Zip.  _

A windswept grassland.

_ Zip. _

The shore of a lake.

_ Zip. _

The biting cold struck Sophie’s cheeks and she paused at a snow-capped mountain range and rolling clouds, for a split second almost overwhelmed by the sheer  _ vastness  _ of it all. The sun reflected blindingly off the snow plain that lay before Sophie, nestled between two peaks so high they almost appeared to be holding up the azure sky. 

Sophie was able to suppress her awe just enough to manage scanning her surroundings. There was no doubt that this was the Kearsby Heights - both because of the magnificent mountains and the stone castle that squatted before her.  _ Sol Staghart,  _ Sophie thought immediately,  _ who else would build such a thing out here, other than a deranged wizard who likes to kidnap husbands?  _ Though that particular thought didn't strengthen her resolve, Sophie carefully pulled off her seven-league boots nonetheless, stowing them behind a rock. 

She swallowed tightly as she turned to the castle. Built of dark grey stone, the owner had clearly spared no expense on intricate stonework designs crammed into every available corner. The overall impression was of an artist who had gotten halfway through a painting of a palace and decided to hurriedly scribble on the rest with a pen. Howl would’ve described it as obnoxious. 

At the thought of her waiting husband, Sophie clenched her fists and strode across the snow-covered plain, fixing a determined expression to her face. Before she could even think about hesitating, she was sharply knocking on the castle’s grand oak door. It was about then when Sophie realised that she didn’t exactly have a plan.

“NAME!” Boomed a voice from the air above her. 

“Lenna Thecan.” Sophie replied without missing a beat as a semblance of an idea began to form in her mind, “I, um, I have travelled far and wide to meet the famous Sol Staghart.”

There was a long silence which Sophie took as permission to continue. “I have heard tales of his, uh, infinite wisdom and prowess and wished to see if the legends were true.”   
The silence continued and Sophie, now clutching the magical pendant that Micheal had given her in her pocket, wondered if she’d overstepped the mark. But there was no going back now. “I wish him to take me on as his apprentice to learn the arts of magic.”   
At that, the door before Sophie swung open noiselessly, revealing an interior that was as black as pitch. A familiar sense of dread began to creep through her as she squinted hard into the darkness and Sophie began to realise that she was expected to it. Sophie swallowed tightly. She knew full well that Howl would’ve already rushed blindly into the castle, but she had to be smarter about this. 

So instead she lifted her head high and strode forward, summoning the confident and arrogant air that wizards seemed to carry about constantly. It soon became apparent that the ominous wall of darkness was only an illusion as beyond lay a sprawling hall that Sophie realised could probably fit her entire house in. It was filled with flickering torches that lined the dark grey walls and tall windows lined with icicles. Refusing to be daunted, Sophie tapped her walking stick sharply on the ground and, as if summoned by the noise, a tall, thin man dressed in an extravagant golden robe appeared before her with a violet flash. Sophie jumped, startled, before hurriedly regaining her composure. 

“I am Sol Staghart,” he declared grandly in a rich voice that did in no way match his slightly drab and ordinary looks. In fact, the only thing that would mark him to be any different from the everyday person was his small, black and beady eyes that reminded Sophie uncomfortably of the dead fishes’ that she saw on market day. Remembering her ruse, she dropped into a low curtsy.

“I am Lenna Thecan, mister Staghart. It is an honor to be in your presence.”

“I’m sure it is.” His rudeness almost made Sophie bristle with annoyance, but she fixed her eyes at his feet.  _ The groveling will be worth it to get my fool of a husband back,  _ she reminded herself. 

“So you want to be my apprentice, do you.” It wasn’t a question. 

“Yes.”

Sol Staghart scoffed, “And what makes you think that you are worthy of such a great reward?” 

“I know the secret to eternal life.” 

The effect on the wizard was absolute. His face turned white, blue, then finally a blotchy red as he staggered back a few paces. Sophie regarded all of this with thinly veiled amusement, before continuing, “ _ But,  _ I will only give it to you if you let me in your castle and let me be your apprentice.” 

“Impossible! I have the only wizard who knows that secret-” 

“Did you mean Howl Pendragon?” 

If it was possible, Sol Staghart’s face turned a deeper shade of crimson and suddenly Sophie was terrified that she’d revealed too much. 

“How did - how did you know that?”

“It was just a guess,” Sophie replied quickly, dipping her head further. Sol Staghart narrowed his eyes. 

“A rather  _ good  _ guess.” 

Sophie bit the inside of her cheek. Hard. “Howl’s a… a family friend. He passed the secret on to me a few years ago. Everyone knew about your vendetta against him.” 

“Is that so.” 

“Yes.” Some instinct told Sophie that she’d toed the line slightly too far and her mind raced to find a suitable way to backtrack. “Um, but I surely can’t expect you to take me on my word alone.”   
She fumbled in her pocket for the magical pendant which she yanked out and held before her. “This is a pendant I enchanted myself - it stops people trying to magically locate you. Take it as a - a token of my good faith.”

Sol Staghart grasped the pendent in pale fingers, narrowly inspecting it, before pocketing the jewelry with an unreadable expression. Sophie allowed herself to release a small sigh of relief as the wizard turned away, beckoning her to follow as he strode away into the darkness. 

The passages the pair took to the small study were narrow and winding, and Sophie began to suspect that they had been constructed entirely for the purpose of confusing unwanted guests. If that was the case then the architects had succeeded - other than a vague notion that they were dissenting, Sophie had no clues as to where she was in the castle and knew that she probably wouldn’t be able to escape if she tried. That thought sent shivers of anxiety down her spine, but she was always careful to keep a neutral expression. 

Every time they passed an archway, window or door, Sophie carefully glanced about, hoping in vain to learn some information about where he was keeping Howl. But no clues revealed themselves and by the time Sophie entered the study, she knew no more than she had when she entered the castle. 

Sol Staghart swept over to a chair, leaving Sophie lingering uncomfortably by the doorway. The wizard ignored her discomfort and immediately launched into a long and detailed description of the different uses and properties of magic. Fixing an attentive expression on her face, Sophie ignored him, having heard most of it before from Howl as he tended to launch into dramatic monologues whenever it suited him. 

Ten minutes passed in what seemed like ten years, until finally Sophie interrupted with a, “Um, mister Staghart?”

“What?” He snapped.. 

“I was - I was wondering where your bathroom is?”

Sol Staghart raised his eyes heavenward, but motioned vaguely down the hall. Sophie thanked him meekly and ducked out the room, almost immediately abandoning the submissive hunch that she had adopted. Sophie knew she would only have a few minutes before the wizard realised that she wouldn’t be coming back and raised the alarm. 

_ Hurry Sophie, hurry!  _ A little voice in her head urged her feet to a swifter pace as Sophie jogged through the hallways, passing identical stonework, identical doors, identical windows. Too slow - it was taking too long! Sophie had half a mind to wack her cane into the perfect stained-glass windows and scream out in frustration when one of the flickering touches hanging on the wall caught her eye.

Sophie frowned deeply, starting at the fire. Something just seemed…  _ off  _ about it, something she couldn’t exactly put her finger on. The colours seemed a little too flat, the flame too bright and... it had no shadow. Sophie grinned. Howl had once told her that illusions were easy enough to make, but small details like shadows were often overlooked. 

Pressing her lips together, Sophie reached forward, brushing the wall around the fake torch. Just as she’d suspected, an entire section of stone vanished at her touch, revealing an ominously lit corridor lined with stone so dark that it was almost black. Sophie swallowed, heart suddenly pounding in her chest rather the same way it would’ve done when she was under the Witch of the Waste’s curse. She had seen enough spooky corridors to know for sure that this one wouldn’t lead to any kind of good. 

She entered it anyway. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! As always, comments always make my day! <3


End file.
